The prior art discloses various clock radios and alarms incorporating timing mechanisms, or devices to turn a radio on, or off, at present times, or to actuate the alarm. Certain radios of these prior types included a light which was adapted to be flashed on and off and thereby function as a wake-up signal to a sleeping person. Other types of prior art radios included a so-called "slumber switch" which was utilized to turn the radio on and then after the expiration of a selected period of time, when the user presumably has fallen asleep, to turn the radio off. The slumber switch on such radios was adapted to be utilized without affecting the alarm setting on the radio. It was known too, in clock radios, that multiple sets of volume and station selector controls might be utilized, so that when a timer mechanism activated the radio it would operate at the preselected station and at the chosen volume and which operation could be obtained independently of a separate set of tuning and volume controls. One type of prior clock radio was known which provided a timer mechanism that activated the radio for a certain period of time and during this time period uniformly decreased the volume level, to zero, and after which period to radio was turned off. When the radio was turned on again, automatically, as a wake-up alarm, the mechanism caused the volume gradually to increase from the zero position, or volume level, to its previous setting.
Another prior patent disclosure reveals a light alarm system associated with an electric clock so that the light was activated at a preset time as a wake-up alarm controlled by the clock mechanism. When activated, the light operated at a low light level and gradually increased in brightness from this minimun setting until full brightness was attained as a simulation of daylight. Another patent from the prior art utilizes a timer cam which functions on a twenty four hour basis and utilizies a gear that turns a radio on or off. Another prior art inventor uses two switches, one to turn his system on and one to turn on a dimming device. Certain of such prior arrangements were not controllable manually and where both audible alarm and lights were used they were directed through the same control device.